On Sunday, Sept. 19, Campbellsville Baptist Church hosted a Sunday School barbecue cook-off. Adult Sunday school classes competed in various categories. The Sunday school class taught by Brian Clifford brought home prizes in two categories.

One guy tells another guy about his neighbor who's always hard on his son. They'll be out playing ball in the yard and the dad will constantly tell his son, "You'll never be a ball player if you keep messing up like that."

Then the guy says, "Get this - on Sunday mornings the whole family gets in the car and goes to church."

Recording artists The Garry Polston Family will present a concert of southern gospel music at Meadowview Baptist Church at 6:30 p.m. Sunday. The church is located at 1211 Elk Horn Road. The community is invited.

Dr. Jeff Eaton was in Russell County on Labor Day weekend for his annual guest speaking engagements at the church he founded at Lake Cumberland's Jamestown Marina boat dock 21 years ago and at Fairview Baptist Church.

Eaton, a 1983 graduate of Campbellsville University, is a Campbellsville native. He started a new church, Hope Community Church, in Lawrenceburg, after having served as pastor of First Baptist Church in Russell Springs for many years. His wife, Julie Winn Eaton, also a Campbellsville native and CU alumna, sings with Hope's praise teams.

Campbellsville University website developer Edward Goble's most recent book, "and no religion, too - thoughts on the spectator church," has a message for pastors and church leaders across America.

Written from the experience and point of view of the author, an ordained minister and the father of an ordained minister, Goble shares his views on the spectator church and the religious activities that can keep its shepherds in a closed environment rather than out doing the work of communicating among the unchurched.

Lest you think I was on my knees praying, I wasn't, although Lord knows I should have been. And it wasn't so much an epiphany as it was a random thought.

My husband and I were painting, he up on a ladder, me on my knees with a brush, painting the bottom of the walls along the edging.

My random thought was that everything in life illustrates Bible truth, as someone once said. On that Saturday, with a paintbrush in my hand, I thought about how Jesus talked about counting the cost of following him.

Green River Memorial Baptist Church honored Pansy Willis, 89, on Aug. 8 with a celebration for teaching 66 years of Sunday school.

Willis' day started out with her being named "Queen for the Day." She was honored with a plaque, flowers and a crown for the occasion.

Her son Kenny Willis and grandson John Willis sang a song about mothers in her honor. Another grandson, Chad Willis, spoke about what she means to her family and the church. Willis' children and grandchildren were present for the event.